Ford - Your holiness: discover the light within

My sister, the late, great, amazing Debbie Ford, was a New York Times bestselling author of ten books who had dedicated her life to her global community of students and coaches, teaching her groundbreaking work on the shadow and innovating the life-changing Shadow Process Workshop. Along with raising her son, Beau, her work was her greatest passion and focus. During the last five years of her life, as she courageously dealt with a rare cancer, she found the will and strength to get out of bed and teach for a week and then would collapse for a month to rest up and generate enough energy to do it again.

Now that Debbie is on the other side, her tremendous desire to serve humanity has not slowed down. Whether you believe in an afterlife or not, I continue to receive emails, phone calls, and social media messages on a near daily basis from her friends, students, and coaches and even strangers sharing with me that Debbie is guiding them from the other side via dreams, direct messages, and signs. Her presence after her death with those who are living has made itself known in so many ways. We dont expect this to stop, especially given this incredible account.

A longtime family friend, celebrated medium, and close confidant of Debbies, James Van Praagh, sent an invitation for a private reading to my husband (Brian) and me, together with my mom, Sheila. We were to visit his new home, located less than forty-five minutes from us, and he would provide a reading with Debbie and other deceased relatives who were willing to come through time and space to meet with us. Of coursewithout hesitationwe all said yes. (These days, if you want a reading with James you have to attend his public eventswhere there are often three thousand people or moreand hope your loved one on the other side is pushy enough to grab his attention.)

On a beautiful, warm, sunny Monday afternoon the week before Christmas, we drove to Jamess beautiful home north of San Diego. After a tour of his serene, personal paradise, we got comfortable in his very white and extremely modern office. He began the session. All of us were so excited to hear who would come through as well as experience the gifts of our dear friend James.

Within seconds, Debbie spoke through James with a request for me to write a prayer book with her. It was as if she had been waiting to announce this request for some time. She made a case for how she would help me through the entire process. It could be fun and easy, she said. I didnt understand what she was talking about and was cringing with every detail. How would this be possible? Would I have to impose on James for daily readings to get the material? I said no as politely as you could to a sister who has passed away. Debbie eventually moved on to other topics.

Next James asked us, Who is Minnie? She keeps talking about Minnie.

I explained that Minnie is Beaus half sister (who almost no one knows about... you cant even Google that information).

Ah, now I get it, James said. She says to tell Beau that when Minnie was visiting recently, she was with them every precious moment.

Geez, how did James know that Minnie had come to visit Beau for Thanksgiving (from her home in London) just a few weeks prior?

Damn, I thought. This guy is beyond good; hes truly a master. It seems like the entire cosmos comes through this kind and gentle man.

The reading progressed and Brians parents came through with sweet messages; my stepfather, Doc, came through, which made my mother incredibly happy; and a few other deceased relatives came through who had valuable messages to share.

In between visits from the other loved ones, Debbie would break through, continuing to implore me to write a prayer book with her. I had tried to say no, but apparently social etiquette is different for the dead. By the end of our ninety-minute session, I caved in and said yes. Clueless as to how it would happen, I knew my sister well enough that she would never let this go until I agreed. It was hard to believe that even from the other side she could still boss me around! Persistence is her middle name.

As we drove home on the freeway later that day, Brian began talking about all the many meaningful and cherished hours he spent with Debbie at her chemo treatments. He had memories of her talking about writing prayers over the years. He remembered how important they were to her, and he suggested that I contact Julie to see what she might know.

Julie, in addition to being someone we consider family, was and is a vast resource of all things Debbie. She spent seven years working as Debbies right hand and held titles that included executive assistant, producer, webmaster, editorial assistant, business manager, and collaborator on many projects. At the end of Debbies life, Julie was her primary caregiver and gave of herself tirelessly to make sure Debbies every need was taken care of. The love and strong bond between them was a joy and an honor to witness. Today, she continues Debbies legacy as president and chief operating officer of The Ford Institute.

I called Julie and shared the details of the reading. I finished the story, and Julie was not surprised in the least. Her response floored me:

Arielle, Debbie wrote an entire prayer book called Your Holiness. Do you want me to send the manuscript to you?

Within minutes, I was reading the book you now hold in your hands. I was mesmerized. I had completely forgotten that the catalyst for Debbies total lifesaving transformation from a life of using hard drugs was the extraordinary power of prayer. I had forgotten that nearly thirty years before she passed on, she had fallen in love with God and that she had experienced a true miracle thanks to prayer. As I read each page, my heart continuedto expand, and I felt as if Debbie was with me, enjoying each prayer together. Her words leaped off the page, and I could feel her loving energy all around me, her frequency enveloping me with such a comforting presence.

Not only was the book brilliant and beautifully written, it was complete. The book was never published; perhaps Debbie felt the time was not right until now.

I realized immediately how divine the timing of all this was and how many hearts and minds this book would touch. And, of course, I was delighted that I wouldnt have to figure out how to coauthor a book with an angel from the other side. Debbie wanted me to help be the messenger.

When I finished reading, I picked up the phone and called Gideon Weil at HarperOne. I told him about the extraordinary reading with James and the manuscript I held in my hands. He had been Debbies editor for many years; he is also my editor and James Van Praaghs editor. No coincidences here.

After listening to this crazy story, Gideon admittedto my astonishmentthat he had been feeling guilty for the past few years. Debbie wrestled balancing her hard-hitting psychological insights with a desire to write more about spirituality and how each of us has a divine self. Gideon eventually persuaded Debbie to stay in her lane and focus on what she was best known forthe psychological. Debbie, of course, has never given up, and apparently she believes the moment to flex her spiritual insights is now. I sent him the manuscript, and within days he agreed to publish it.

You just cant make this stuff up: sometimes its just better to surrender to the magic and grace of this thing called life.

As the end of her precious life approached, Debbie told me she was completely satisfied that her mission was fulfilled, that she had experienced a great life, and that the last year of her life, despite her weakened condition and constant pain, had been the best year of her life. Its exciting to have proof that even from her new home in heaven she continues to share her deep wisdom.